


Presents

by atonalremix



Series: A Normal Life [2]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Interlude, Role Reversal, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-02
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-02-27 19:57:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2704673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atonalremix/pseuds/atonalremix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even though their lives are growing crazier with vampires and doppelgangers, rather than SAT prep and college applications, Stefan and Elena still manage to share those precious, rare moments with each other. (Warlock!Stefan AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. birthdays

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as a birthday present for my friend Ashleigh! This doesn't necessarily require knowledge from A Normal Life to understand, but it might add a greater understanding?
> 
> (Timeline-wise, this occurs sometime between Chapter 12 & 13.)

Some people welcomed their seventeenth birthdays with cake at midnight or birthday presents from their loved ones. Stefan, on the other hand, got _witches hat pancakes_. His older brother - his stupid, loveable douche of a brother - had thought it a charming joke at the time. Or, more realistically, as Damon had explained, "I didn't have time to make tiramisu." Considering that Damon had also been possessed by their crazy ancestor mere hours ago, Stefan hadn't expected anything. He really, truly hadn't. 

For as long as he could remember, the Salvatores celebrated birthdays in style, with loud family dinners spoken in Italian, pidgin Arabic (Stefan & Mom were the only ones fluent), or even Spanish depending on the relatives that dropped by. This year, no relatives could head to Mystic Falls. Mom and Dad were still digging up ancient artifacts in Italy; their Memphis relatives had Model UN the following morning; their cousins in Atlanta had a friend's wedding; and even their maternal grandparents had been unexpectedly swamped with work. 

Still, each relative had showered him with affection from afar. His parents had called from Italy (a feat, considering the hour) and wished him the very best. Mom giggled a little too vibrantly, causing Stefan to glance over his shoulder at Damon every thirty seconds or so. Damon always shrugged, in that half-aloof, half-knowing way, refusing to divulge any familial secrets for the day. 

Last year, Stefan would've pried those secrets from his older brother's fingers, but last year, Stefan had no idea of the secrets that had weighed down Damon's conscience. Last year, Stefan would've never guessed that Damon could keep a secret - and last year, half the family had treated them to cannolis in Boston anyhow. 

(In hindsight, Stefan should've realized that Morie's "sparklers" had been honest-to-goodness magic, especially when no one else in the North End batted an eye at the fire lighting from her fingertips.) 

After he had finished talking to his Memphian cousins, Stefan had retreated to the kitchen, with hands wrapped around a mug as he poured over old grimoires. His ancestors had prided themselves on alchemy - the ancient art of creating new spells and potions through combining chemicals and magic - and Damon had proudly carried that tradition for years. 

"It's about time you start learning a spell or two," Damon had told him, lightly kissing Stefan on the forehead before disappearing into his grad school research. Each synthesis recipe was dense, packed to the brim with notes in the margins ("one pinch of saffron or two?") and shortcuts to make the next attempt easier. 

Occasionally, Stefan recognized Damon's handwriting on various post-it notes, each one more audacious than the one before it. Some of his ideas were reasonable ("think we could sub paprika here?") while others were not even worth mentioning ("FREE BOOZE, WHO'S WITH ME?"). 

He had just finished reading a chapter on elixirs when he heard the light, dainty footsteps of his girlfriend. Not even glancing up, Stefan tried to close the cookbook as he said, "Hey, Ele--" 

She pressed her lips against his, gently leaning on the counter for support before letting go. 

"Happy birthday!" Elena giggled, holding up a auspiciously-wrapped box in her hands. Good. It _looked_ normal from here. Stefan's shoulders sagged, as he let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding. 

First Damon with his witches-hat pancakes; then Tyler had dropped by with the worst gift known to mankind - the entire _FullMetal Alchemist_ series, with a card in Tyler's sloppy handwriting that read:

Survival is the only way, ~~Ed~~ Stefanizo. Live on and learn more about alchemy!

(Stefan hadn't exactly seen the series, but goddammit Tyler, some secrets were supposed to stay secret!) Gingerly unwrapping the present, Stefan stared blankly at the deep wok, silicon spatula, and various pieces of baking equipment in his hands. 

"Huh?" He glanced up at her. "I'm not a baker." 

"No, you're a wizard," she politely pointed out, sliding down on the seat next to him and gesturing towards the cookware. "And one of the most important things you can give a new wizard is his synthesis gear. The Salvatores are supposed to be the best of the best, right?" 

Stefan tilted his head at her ever so slightly. "You asked Damon, didn't you?" 

"Maybe." Elena bit on her lower lip, gently fingering the necklace he had gotten her for her birthday only a few months ago. "I was gonna get you that new _Percy Jackson_ book, but this... this seemed more important."

Only a few months ago, they were both convinced that they were normal teenagers with a normal romance. Bonnie's arrival - and now, the strange photograph of the orphan girl from Atlanta - had told them otherwise. They were destined for something greater than this town, and for the sake of God, Stefan hoped that he could shield her from anything that went bump in the night. 

It was bad enough that he had to brandish his wand and fight, but Elena? Elena deserved none of this. She was supposed to remain in the dark; she was supposed to have given him birthday sex, not this... this synthesis gear to help him master a skill he didn't want to have. For a few seconds, Stefan inspected the cookware, feeling the wok's weight before he set it all aside. 

"Thank you," he said softly, kissing her on the cheek. "Hey, you know what? If I have all this nice new gear, we should synthesize something with it."

Her eyes widened. "Huh? You... you mean it? You and me?" 

"Well, yeah. What Damon won't know won't kill him." Plus, Stefan figured, his girlfriend could keep him grounded if the magic overwhelmed him too much. There had to be a first time for everything, right?

Carefully, he held out his ancestor's grimoire, allowing Elena to pick one of the starter recipes. She hesitated for a few seconds, pointing towards an enchantment charm. 

He nodded, rolling up his sleeves and reaching for the spice rack. "Alright, then. Let's get started."

 

 

After half an hour of mishaps and false starts ("Elena, that's just going to make your necklace rust!"), her silver necklace started to faintly glow as Stefan carefully poured crushed vervain inside it. It hovered above her chest, turning a faint pink, before it lightly rested against her (equally pink) cardigan. 

"Looks like it worked," Stefan said, not hiding his relief as he brushed the vervain off his fingers. 

She whistled softly. "So what does it do?" 

"It should be a talisman now. Think of it like... a protection charm. If a vampire wants to eat you, the necklace'll create a microscopic barrier between your epidermis and its fangs."

" _Stefan._ " She giggled, muffling her laughter with her hand as she sat on the counter and pulled him onto it beside her. "The less scienc-y version? Please?" 

"Fangs go ka-boom," he said monotonously, struggling to keep his face even as he mimed the action beside her. 

Just when he had distracted her long enough to hear her genuine laugh - one that sounded like a million tiny bells as she said "Wait, but _I'm_ the one that protects you!" - he pulled her into a kiss. So maybe his girlfriend shielded him from bullies and jerk jocks more than he had shielded her from vampires and other witches, but he figured, he has the rest of his lifetime to repay the favor. 

As they continued to kiss - with Elena scooting onto her boyfriend's lap and Stefan running his hands through her hair - they forgot about the outside world. In this moment, Stefan had shown her his entire world (all of it) and she hadn't dismissed any of it as strange or weird or otherworldly. 

Instead, she had accepted him wholeheartedly for who he was, and he couldn't thank her enough. For a millisecond, as he let go to breathe, he noticed her necklace glowing with a faint purple edge as it brushed against his skin, before it resumed its normal silver color. 

Elena, instead, was far more preoccupied with unbuttoning Stefan's shirt. As she hastily pulled it off, he staggered back, gesturing towards the stairs. 

"We have a _bed_ , Elena." 

"I know," she lazily sighed, pulling off her own cardigan to reveal a camisole. "Think of it as... mm, my real birthday present this year."

"Again, _my room's upstairs._ " He laughed, holding her in his arms as they rush back to his bedroom. At least in the safety of his room, he doesn't have to worry about Damon "accidentally" encountering them. Again. 

 

 

A few hours later, Damon knocked on Stefan's door and peered inside ever so slightly. His lips twitched upwards as he remarked, "I'd deliver my present, kiddo, but I think Elena already has me beat." 

Elena giggled, leaning back triumphantly on Stefan's headboard with the utmost grace possible (a small miracle, considering Damon was standing right there). "Damn right I did."


	2. dances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lately, I've been revisiting Stefan's and Elena's relationship in an effort to regain my motivation for the main story, and so I figured - why not share the bits of fluff between these two? Timeline-wise, I'm not certain where this could fit, since it's so vague that it could honestly happen at ANY point in the normal story. 
> 
> (It probably happens after his 17th birthday, though, since Christmas carols are mentioned). Thanks for reading, and if you like what you're reading, please leave me a review! I'd love to know what works and what doesn't.

When she thought no one was looking, Elena danced. She swung her arms wildly in the air to the rhythm of her iPod, twirling incessantly to the catchy melody from her latest anime (this week, _The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya_ ). Sometimes, she'd grab a spoon from the kitchen and sing along - off-key, mind you - to the lyrics. 

It was so _fulfilling_ that for a few moments, she could forget the world around her. She could forget that her parents had died a few months ago; she could forget about her sullen, moody kid brother upstairs; and she could even forget about Jenna studying at Whitmore. The kitchen was her sacred space, and by God, she was reclaiming it as hers. 

Her imaginary dance partners didn't have feet to trip over, and hey, some days, she needed this impromptu dance party of one. There was no better way to kill an afternoon! 

Except one time, halfway through belting out the chorus, the back door had swung open, and Stefan had stared at her with the blankest expression she'd ever witnessed on his face. 

She hastily rushed to shut her iPod off, slipping onto the freshly-waxed floors--

"I've got you," Stefan said, holding her calmly (and confidently, she noted) in his arms. Pulling her close to him, he couldn't hide a laugh as he added, "You were having a dance party? And you didn't think to invite me?" 

"Didn't think you'd like it," she pointed out, wrinkling her nose at him. 

Gracefully letting her go by the barstools, he then wandered over towards the iPod. Carefully, he pulled it out of the stand and scrolled through her playlists. "Originally, no, but..."

"But...?" 

He pressed play, allowing the sweet, sweet rhythms of Christmas carols fill the Gilbert kitchen. "But I think I can make an exception." 

"You _dork._ " Elena laughed wholeheartedly, grabbing his hands and intertwining them with his as she swayed along to the slow melody. "I can't dance along to these, you... you... " 

He silenced her with a kiss, pushing her against the wall as they forgot about the outside world. In this space, where Christmas carols echoed through the ceiling, no one would miss them for a few minutes. Problem was, as much as she relished the sensation of his hands moving all across her body, she couldn't... not when her dance party was well underway, and she was a hot, sweaty mess (no pun intended). 

Reluctantly pushing him away, she reached for her iPod and resumed her playlist of high-intensity, upbeat pop music. "Come on. If you've got the audacity to crash my party, you might as well stick around for the grand finale." 

Stefan rolled his eyes, yet acquiesced to her as he tapped his foot along to the rhythm. 

"No, not like that, dummy. You've gotta put your whole spirit into it!" 

"My whole spirit?" He wrinkled his nose at her, as he closed the distance between them and danced (off-beat) to the melody. "Now I'm certain you're making this all up." 

" _Duh._ " She jumped up to flick his nose. "That's how these things work." 

"Uh-huh." He leaned down, stealing a gentle kiss before he threw himself into the rhythm.

Maybe her imaginary dance partners didn't have feet for her to trip over, but her first real dance partner wasn't bad either - in fact, she mused as she pulled herself close to him, he might be better than she imagined. 

 

 

Half an hour later, Jeremy burst through the back door. "Hey, I'm... home?" 

Stefan didn't even have the decency to look embarrassed as he glanced over at Jeremy. "You wanna join in?" 

Jeremy tilted his head to the side. "Iiiii think I'll pass." 

"Suit yourself." Elena shrugged nonchalantly, sauntering over to the iPod and switching the playlist. "Our dance party of two's gonna rock this house." 

"If it hasn't already..." Jeremy rolled his eyes at them. "I'd say get a room, but Jenna and Damon might wanna join you later." 

Stefan and Elena exchanged wary glances as they said, in perfect unison, "Wait, is it...?" 

"Family Dinner Night? Yeah. Jenna's making her infamous cheesecake. Again." 

Without another word, Jeremy dashed upstairs, leaving them to stare and sigh at one another. 

"On second thought," Elena began, turning her iPod off for the evening, "Maybe we'll take a raincheck?" 

Stefan awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Sounds like a plan."


	3. routines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Long time no see! I wish I had a good reason for this chapter existing, but I don't beyond my memory of TVD dances and wondering how they would happen in this universe; since Damon isn't a high school student, they aren't anywhere near as important (or violent). So if they're normal, and Stelena have Damon as a chaperone... how would it go? 
> 
> Timeline-wise, it's recent: imagine it taking place after Chapter 21 (and as such, does have spoilers for something I'd planned on revealing then). This chapter also has bonus Tyler/Caroline and Damon/Bonnie, though it's hard to notice the Tyler/Caroline in this! As always, thank you so much for your support this far! Comments and kudos are especially appreciated, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Stefan and Elena had their pre-dance routine down to a science. Hours before everyone gathered in the gym for a night of fun, they would make dinner together in the Gilbert House (nothing fancy, either Chicken Parmesan or Falafels with Fattoush) before getting all gussied up - and if they felt especially generous, they'd invite their friends to join them. 

Especially being the key word. Some dance nights, right after dinner and before the main event, Stefan would scoop her up in his arms and press her against the wall, as if they were the only ones in the universe. When he kissed her, she would rest her hand up against the nape of his neck and lean in and--and the whole world clicked into place. They occupied their own corner of the world.

Some days, she sure wished they'd remain alone: between Stefan's emerging powers, her crazy immortal lookalike, and the general strangeness of Mystic Falls, their world had grown a lot larger and a whole lot crazier. Damon couldn't protect them forever from the growing shadows - nor did Elena want her big brother encroaching upon her life. He, Jenna, and Mason weren't supposed to play protector. Stefan and Tyler weren't supposed to stand up to the plate and brace for impact, and Bonnie sure as hell wasn't supposed to set everything off with her tiny (but adorable) fangs. 

Not she could blame Bonnie. How was her new best friend supposed to know that her arrival would usher in people like Mr. Saltzman and Anna and potentially this Katherine Pierce? Her worry must've been getting obvious, because Stefan broke the kiss, staring at her with furrowed brows and a half-frown on his face. 

"Lena?" He kissed the edges of her fingertips. "Everything okay?" 

She nodded, holding onto him tighter. "As okay as they'll ever be." 

"You don't sound like it." 

Sometimes, that boy was too perceptive for his own good. Elena smothered a smile, pulling herself up long enough to kiss his forehead. "I'll get there soon enough, Steffie. Gimme a minute?" 

"How about... I give you a bit more than that?" He peered up at the clock above them and allowed himself a sigh as he helped her back onto her feet. "Unless you don't want to go this time?" 

She snorted. "Fat chance. You're going." 

Drawing her fingers across his cheek, she turned towards the stairs. "Besides, Damon's chaperoning. You don't want to see him bust a move on the floor?" 

Stefan's groan could've broken the foundation of the house. "You're kidding." 

"Nope, he and Jenna agreed to help. Can't imagine what's in it for them." 

"Oh, I can think of a few," Stefan grumbled, sneaking in another kiss before he grabbed his suit off the couch. "Trust me. none of them're good." 

 

 

About half an hour later, Elena had changed into her dress for the evening and finished the final touches on her make-up. Stefan hovered near the door the whole time, staring back at her reflection as he observed her apply mascara and foundation and even a hint of bronzer. (She figured, a little color wouldn't hurt her once!) As she put in her dangling star earrings, Stefan let out another soft sigh. Elena almost rolled her eyes at him.

"Your tie's crooked," she informed him, turning towards him so she could better straighten it. "How do you manage it?" 

"With extreme difficulty." He raised both eyebrows, fighting back a smile as he stared at her hands. "How don't you manage it?" 

"Because I don't hurry my way through tying one." She resisted a sigh, instead setting the tie down and intertwining her fingers in his. "The dance won't go any faster, you know." 

Dances at Mystic Falls High followed a predictable routine: they would arrive at the gym, get bombarded with balloons and Caroline's confetti, listen to the DJ remix old favorites, and maybe Stefan would twirl her around the dance floor. Maybe, because her boyfriend still shied away from any sort of attention. Academic attention was a necessary evil, as he fought with her and a few others for that coveted spot of valedictorian, but social attention? Positive social attention? Elena might as well have asked him to bite her. 

He knew the routine as well as she did. With the notable exception of their current chaperones, the evening would fall into place. Tyler and Caroline would save them a table; Jeremy and Anna would stare down at their feet rather than each other; and even Matt and his girl of the month would drag Elena onto the floor for the Electric Slide. If she were lucky, she would have Stefan in her arms for half of the evening, before Caroline or Bonnie inevitably stole him for a dance or two. Not that she minded, either. They were all friends, and friends would gather each other in large groups and swing along to the melody. 

Stefan even danced better when the six of them were together, rather than the two of them! Something about less eyes on him - the last time she'd asked, his face had gotten all red and he'd almost tripped over his own two feet. This time, it was best if she let him win this battle. 

When they arrived, confetti was splashed in their faces as Caroline's bright, bubbly voice called out, "Finally! It only took you two forever!" 

Stefan coughed a few pieces of confetti away from his face, "We still made it, didn't we?" 

"You missed the weirdest thing," Tyler said, slinging his arm around Stefan's shoulders as he gestured towards the punch table. There, in the corner of the room, Damon, Jenna, and Alaric were talking, holding fruit punch in their hands as they ambled on about something or another. "Our chaperones actually care about our dating lives." 

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Really." 

Tyler nodded. "Hang on, I'll show you - Stef, Lena, start dancing to the next song, like you always do." 

A weird request, but one she'd happily oblige. Elena nodded, pulling Stefan towards a visible section of the dance floor. As a new song started, she wrapped her arms around Stefan's neck and pulled herself in close. The slow songs were always the best: she could lean her head on his shoulder and listen to him snark about the new, awkward couples that surrounded them. Everyone else was still struggling to find their own beat - and while they were no exception, they were closer than most people. 

Just as the chorus started up, Damon's voice called out loud and clear, "Hey, Stefanizo! Lena! Leave some room for Jesus!" 

Stefan's grip tightened so much that she almost had trouble breathing. "We're not even _Christian_ , Damon." 

"All the more reason to let him in!" 

Elena furiously bit back a laugh, right as Stefan lifted her into the air with a practiced air. "We'll think about it!" 

Damon shook his head like a disappointed parent, making faces at them before he resumed his conversation with Jenna and Alaric. With those wild, exaggerated hand motions, she could only guess as to what story her older brother was regaling her aunt and her aunt's boyfriend with. Like Stefan said, none of them could be good. 

Resigning themselves to the inevitable, Stefan released his grip on her, stepping apart as a new, faster song blared through the loudspeakers. Matt, Caroline, Tyler, and even Bonnie joined them, tapping their feet along to the rhythm. Squeezing her hand tight, Bonnie whispered, "Is he always like this?" 

"With a vengeance," Stefan answered, rolling his eyes before he, Tyler, and Matt broke off to march to their own drummer.

Elena's cheeks grew red. "I think he's taking his parents' conversion a little too hard." 

"Mm." Bonnie glanced back towards their chaperone. "I think I can convince him that he's pretty okay without Jesus." Without another word, she sauntered towards the punch table, her green eyes narrowed on her newest target. 

Caroline giggled, trying (and failing) to muffle her laughter behind her hand. "You think she'll succeed?" 

"Probably. Hopefully. I'm not sure I can entertain another Jesus speech." 

It was official: Jenna and Alaric were terrible chaperones for enabling him, just as Damon was terrible for even daring to call them out on their affection. He had been in high school once. He should've remembered this feeling, of wanting to hold someone forever and not caring what the rest of the world thought. If he remembered, then he wouldn't have teased them about Jesus - a guy he was barely acquainted with himself. Except, she realized, his parents' conversion had turned Salvatore Manor upside down. Gone were things like crucifixes and old copies of the Bible; in their place, prayer rugs and the Qur'an were prominently displayed. Stefan and Damon had always been partially raised in another faith, this Elena knew from day one, but Stefan had decided to find his own religion a long time ago. Damon had stubbornly clung to his parents', only to realize that they had dipped their feet in elsewhere.

Of all the things she expected to think about at this dance, faith hadn't been one of them. Once Damon had been officially cornered by Bonnie, Elena seized her chance and took Stefan by the arm. 

"How do you feel about going home early?" 

He stared at her with even more worried eyes. "You... actually want to leave?" 

"I figure, we can break routine every once in a while." She kissed the edge of his lips, pulling him towards the double doors. "Think you're up for spending the night?" 

"I think Damon'll notice." 

Elena took one look at Damon and Bonnie, then wrinkled her nose as she turned back towards her boyfriend. "Somehow, I don't think he will." 

 

 

For the first time since they'd started dating, Stefan had spent the night over after the dance - and Damon had yet to notice. Maybe, Elena figured as she snuggled up close to Stefan's chest, some routines weren't supposed to be a perfect science.


	4. group projects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Stefan and Elena don't get paired up for a group assignment, Stefan feels like his whole world is about to end.

During 6th period, Mr. Saltzman announced a group project in AP Government. The chairs groan with the weight of a thousand years as students squirm in their seats and papers shuffle to the back of the room. As Stefan skimmed the worksheet, he swore that if he were ever a teacher, he'd ban them forever. Group projects were an evil worse than vampires. A vampire could drain your blood, sure, but group work always drained his soul along with sweat, tears, and more work than seemed humanly possible.

Mr. Saltzman organized the groups by a count-off. (No scurrying to their usual groups.) Each student held up fingers - one, two, or three - and then, in the blink of an eye, all eyes were on Stefan. 

He took one frantic look around before holding up two fingers and mouthing to Elena, "Sorry." 

She stifled a laugh as she met his gaze and held up three fingers. As the counting continued, all he could focus on was her warm, sympathetic face. Ever since third grade, they had always been partners, from middle school science fairs to awkward dances and everything in-between. If they could choose their groups, they always found each other first. Mr. Saltzman had to drive a randomized wedge into their well-oiled machine, and of course, Stefan realized as he saw who else had the number two, he had to have the slackers with him. With a heavy sigh, he rose to meet the inevitable. 

Matt followed him to the right-hand corner, under the giant FDR poster, and slung his arm around Stefan's shoulder. "You've still got me, at least." 

Stefan gave him the smallest of smiles. "Small mercies." 

"Chin up. You can't partner up with Elena for every little thing." 

Stefan almost let out a whimper. Almost, because he was a Salvatore, and Salvatores didn't _whimper_ about something as silly as an AP Government school project. They did, however, whip out their phone and text a complaint to their older brother about their dumb history teacher. 

Surely Damon would have some sympathy - or at least convince the teacher to bend the rules for the girl Mr. Saltzman almost killed. (Because Stefan sure wasn't forgiving Alaric for that attempt anytime soon.)

The reply came almost instantaneously:

**yeah right. You're going to suffer through this one, brother. It'll build character!!**

Matt peered over his shoulder and let out a laugh. "Nice try, Stefano."

  

  

  

After school, Stefan and Matt piled into an empty classroom to join their friends. In half an hour, they would all head off to their extracurriculars: cheerleading for Elena and Caroline; football for Matt; and Model UN for Stefan and Tyler. Bonnie and Jeremy had headed to the yearbook meeting early (something about crunch time and mistaken deadlines).

A small part of Stefan wished they could visit the Grill every night, like people on TV, but then he would have nothing on his college applications. His future mattered more - and in turn, so did things like (stupid) group projects and after-school clubs. 

"I can't believe the nerve of Mr. Saltzman," Elena was saying as Stefan walked in. "I got paired with _Sue Carson_. Do you know how much work we're gonna accomplish this weekend?" 

Tyler winced in sympathy. "I'm gonna guess none." 

"Bingo." 

Stefan laughed as he rushed over to greet Elena with a kiss. "You'll have to knock some sense into her." He paused. "Not literally." 

Caroline shook her head at Stefan. "I don't think brute force was the answer to begin with." 

"You also think a party is the answer to everything," Stefan pointed out, sitting on one of the desks.

"Because it is." Caroline shrugged, ignoring Tyler's and Matt's (losing) struggle to keep their expressions even. 

"What about you and Matt?" Elena folded her arms. "I saw that you were paired up with Caleb Smallwood. That can't end well." 

"It will if he wants us to qualify for state," Matt said, his voice growing solemn as he leaned on Tyler. "We already lost one player to academia. Can't afford to lose another." 

"You didn't _lose_ me," Tyler protested, making no attempt to push Matt off him. "I'm doing Model UN of my own free will this year." 

"Just remember, man: Malaysia's a Muslim country." 

The entire room burst into laughter. For the past three months, it should be noted, Tyler had somehow missed the memo. Even though it was plastered all over Wikipedia. Even though it was in their _constitution_. Even though the delegation had primed him to remember this. In hindsight, it was almost impressive. 

Tyler's cheeks grew a brilliant shade of red as he buried himself in Matt's shoulder. "I don't think I'm allowed to forget." 

"So, the Grill this Friday?" Stefan needed something to look forward to, before the weight of school crushed his shoulders again and again. "We'll celebrate getting through yet another week here." 

"Sounds good to me," Elena murmured, squeezing Stefan's hand. 

Caroline, Tyler, and Matt nodded. 

"I'll see if I can swing an employee discount." Matt's smile was almost contagious as he finally let go of Tyler. "All those sweet potato fries add up, you know."

"Don't try too hard on our behalf." Caroline furrowed her brow at him, though her eyes betray her relief. 

There was an awkward lull for a few seconds, broken only by the pindrop silence outside. If their classmates had already scurried off, then they couldn't postpone their commitments for much longer. Most nights, they couldn't afford to visit the Grill. Homework took four hours on average, not counting SAT or ACT prep, and the cycle always began anew the next day. Weekends were sometimes (maybe) a respite. College was supposed to be easier, right? Hopefully? 

At this rate, high school might as well be a method of torture. 

Since she was co-captain of the squad, Caroline was the first to leave. Then Matt and Tyler wandered off in search of food, and theoretically, Stefan knew he should go. Model UN wouldn't end until six, and Damon would need help preparing dinner. A hungry stomach made for a _terrible_ sous-chef. 

Except Elena was staring out the window with a pensive expression, so he folded his arms and followed her gaze. The crisp, multi-colored leaves were starting to fall, scattering across the field and track outside. 

She spoke first, "It feels weird, you know?"

"What does?" 

"All this... you know, normal stuff." She clutched her necklace and ignored the faint violent hue beneath her fingers. "We're talking about school, and the Grill, and regular old high school stuff when - when you can cast _magic_ , Stefan, and I look like this girl named Katherine, and Bonnie and Anna are actually hundreds of years old." 

Stefan snorted. "Do you _want_ us to talk about that?" 

"Yes? No? I don't know, maybe?" Her voice grew anxious. "Stef, it's... it's terrifying. I can take SAT practice tests, and I can force Sue into pulling her weight, but I can't fight vampires." 

"And you don't have to." Stefan enveloped her in the tightest hug possible. "As long as Damon and I are around, we've got your back." 

"I know. I know, I just- I feel like I should be doing something more." 

"You _are_." Stefan pulled back only to rest his forehead on top of hers. "You're a survivor, right? One day at a time..."

She laughed, despite the tears threatening to well up in her eyes. "But you're a fighter, Stef. I saw you texting Damon about switching us up." 

"Nah. I'm a coward." Stefan knew the truth when it was staring him in the face. "My world isn't going to end because we're stuck with the biggest slackers in the grade, and yours isn't going to end because of magic or vampires or whatever life throws at us." 

At least, he hoped it wouldn't. Elena closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulders. This moment, he wanted to last forever. Their heartbeats were one and as long as they remained like this, maybe he could keep protecting her. Maybe they wouldn't have to pretend to put one foot before the other, and maybe they could hope hours of homework were their only arch-nemeses. 

It was Elena who let go first with a chaste kiss. "Probably not," she said. "Thanks, Stef. I needed that."

"Anytime." 

She turned towards the door, slinging her messenger bag across her shoulders. "Come on, Stef. We're gonna be late." 

Despite himself, he can't quite help teasing, "If we aren't already?" 

She scrunched up her whole face at him. "Well, we are _now._ "

 

 

As he entered the Grill that Friday evening, finished project tucked in his backpack, Stefan felt the weight of the world slide off him. Wrangling Caleb and Matt had been a gargantuan task, but it was done, and on Monday, they'd present it as-is. (Only final editing touches and last-minute mistakes, if any were left. Thank God.) 

Elena was saying to Caroline as he approached, " _Four hours_. That's how long it took Sue to get focused." 

From the nearby pool table, Tyler interrupted, "That's what she said." 

As Elena and Caroline burst into laughter, the world slid back into place. Damon might've had a point: no matter how much Stefan hated group projects (Elena-less group projects), they weren't as impossible as he feared. After all, at the end of the night, they had each other - and as long as they had that unbreakable bond, he could handle a project or two without her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those following along with the main fic, this piece takes place after chapter 16 (ie, after Career Night) and as Elena is mostly in the dark regarding supernatural-related things, it's also anywhere before chapter 21.
> 
> I know it's been a while, but thank you for your continued support! As always, let me know how I'm doing (especially if there's more AU Stelena you'd like to see down the road).


End file.
